Jan Davies from Barry, in the Vale of Glamorgan, has been an RSVP volunteer knitter with us for several months now. Jan has written a poem about how her Nan inspired her to knit, and why she has continued to knit throughout her life.
The Knitting Circle of Life
I sat watching my Nan as she would knit
Click, Click, Clickety, click -yarn flick
Stitches making this one fit, project growing bit by bit
Knit, knit, knit a new stitch trick
Knitting whilst she talked
Knitting whilst she walked
Knitting as she watched the telly
Garments laid across her belly
I sat in front, at Nanny’s knee
“ is this one mine? Is this for me?”
Blue or yellow would be just fine
A cardi or top, just let it be mine
Then stand up straight and fetch the tape
Measure the sleeve, the chest, the nape
Not me this time, this one’s for Jill
Then one for me I’m hoping still
Time has passed, my Nan long gone
My grandchildren now sit all forlorn
As I pick up a stitch with a crochet hook
And they select a pattern out of a book
A jumper for Ellis a cushion for Sue
But what for the girls and the boys too?
Something for Carys and something for Mollie
‘Frozen’ for Carys and for Mollie a dolly
Seren, stand up straight as I measure your size
And I’ll start knitting a Christmas surprise
Now sit at my knee,
sit where you can see
Place the needles like this and the wool at your side
Make Teddy a scarf It’ll become your pride
Then sit your littlies around when you are grown
And see what knitting seeds we have sown
Thanks Nanny Thomas for all of your grafting
The future’s full circle the future is crafting